Does increasing the number of beds or health workers contribute to the rational use of scarce public health resources?

Abstract

Turkey makes substantial investments to increase the number of qualified beds in hospitals, the shortage in health professionals remains one of the main obstacles of the health system in the country. To address this research gap, the study aims to formulate a rational solution for the dilemma on whether to invest in beds or health professionals contribute to the rational use of scarce public health resources. Data for testing the model were derived from the Turkish Statistical Institute across 81 provinces in Turkey. The path analytic approach was used to determine the associations among hospital size, utilization/facility, health workforce, and indicators of health outcomes. The results point to a strong link between quantity of qualified beds, utilization of health services, and facility indicators, and health workforce. Rational use of scarce resources, optimal capacity planning, and increased quantity of health professionals will be beneficial for the sustainability of health care services.